Rumor of The Day

Ok, it’s barely a rumor anymore, since the Toronto Maple Leafs will be making it official later today, but it looks like Toronto’s favorite biatch is heading for warmer pastures. Bryan McCabe, perhaps one of the league’s most expensice defensive liabilities is now someone else’s problem. Florida’s to be exact.

From the rarely-classy Toronto Sun:

McCabe embarks on a new chapter in his career as a Florida Panther, the legions of Bryan Bashers back in Toronto will remember him for exactly that — the on-ice stumbles, the $5.75- million US salary they feel he never lived up to…

In return, the Buds are getting defenceman Mike Van Ryn and an injection of dignity. We should also note that before being made official, McCabe was waiting for a signing bonus that was owed to him on Sept. 1st. Only once the Leafs paid him his $2 million, was the deal able to happen.

I guess that last $2 million should cover the U-Haul rental nicely. Seriously though, a fresh start for McCabe in a new environment should work out well for him so long as Florida knows how to use him. (i.e.: Dress him in a panther costume and have him skate around between periods. He will cause a lot less damage that way.)

Come to think of it, it’s pretty amazing that after the Chad Kilger fiasco that GM Jacques Martin is still talking to Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher. It’s like the kid in elementary school who constantly trades his Twinkies for celery sticks just so he can call one of the cool kids his friend. And it don’t get much cooler than “The Fletch”.